Embarrassing mom truth: When my toddler was learning to walk, I asked my mom friends if I could put a helmet on her so she wouldn’t bump her head. This mama instinct came from a desire to protect my child from harm, an intense intuition many mothers feel. Thankfully, a
Welcome to the November CTN! I can barely find the words to express how excited I am for you to learn more about my Trauma Champion of the Month. Her name is Dr. Mariel Buqué, and she’s a world-renowned specialist in intergenerational trauma. I highly recommend you follow her and
In a world often marred by conflict and violence, it’s crucial to provide children with the necessary support and guidance to help them navigate the traumatic experiences of war and violence. In this enlightening video, we explore practical strategies and expert advice on how to assist children in coping with
My heart is in pieces because of the horrific violence taking place overseas. It feels uncomfortable to send this newsletter at a time like this. I know many of you are hurting, scared, and overwhelmed by the images and stories pouring out of the news. I am with you. I
Have you heard of the Post-Holiday Blues (PHB’s)? The week or two following the holiday season is the most depressing time of the year for many people. From Halloween to December 25th I ride a wave of nostalgia, excitement, activities, gatherings, and joy and then on the 26th that wave
https://youtu.be/Yiq-m6Tkj20 I think some rejection is helpful. It can show us where we need to improve. It can help us build resilience. It can teach us how to be persistent. However, children with developmental trauma and experience with the foster care system often internalize rejection on a much deeper level.
There are also subconscious versions of self-sabotage. It looks like being so perfectionistic that we never publish that article or that book because it’s “not ready yet,” or starting fights with our partner the week before they leave for an extended work trip. Underneath the perfectionist behavior, maybe we believe
Have you ever longed for someone still alive on the earth but unreachable for one reason or another? Did you feel the tension of wanting to connect with someone who was unavailable to you? If you answered yes, you experienced the pain of “ambiguous loss.” Life is full of losses,
The period of time from the beginning of pregnancy through the first few years of your new child’s life is referred to by scientists as matrescence or patrescence (M/P), and I’m focusing on this topic because I think it could reduce the rates of maternal/paternal suicide and childhood trauma around
As a trauma therapist, I often encounter beliefs amongst the general public about mental health and child psychology that aren’t true or are misunderstood. Since it’s a new year, I rounded up a list of the worst offenders to see if we can do a collective pruning of some of
